A Dream Come True

How well do you know me?  This comes not even a month after I removed the picture of Louie Sakoda with its' "I wish he were in my family" caption from my blog. 

I love Tony's job for many reasons.  Number one, I like food.  It buys our groceries, it takes me out to eat on dates, it provides opportunities for me to eat at Jazz games, work dinners, and charity events.  So it may come as a surprise that I couldn't eat at the Muscular Dystrophy Muscle Bash to which we had been invited.

It was just another work dinner and it was the day after we had just been to the Real Salt Lake dinner with Will Johnson.  For the last nights dinner I had forgotten the camera, this time I thought about bringing my camera but changed my mind assuming there wouldn't be any pictures worth taking.

With Zane Beadles now playing for the Cowboys and my favorite....Louie

  With RSL's and the US's Kyle Beckerman and Michelle-Tony's former bosses wife...we love her too!

When I arrived we walked through all the silent auction stuff and as we turned the corner I saw him.  Tony said, "Louie Sakoda's here".  I started panicking.  He must know I'm obsessed with him.  Will he think I'm a stalker?  Oh, who cares!  First, find a photographer.  I grab the guy there to take pictures for some other group and make him follow me around to get the pics I want.  Second, approach Louie.  The first thing out of Tony's mouth was "she wanted to name our son Sakoda."  I confessed.  Tony then asked him if he started out as a soccer player.  I had to bite my tongue to keep from answering all of Tony's questions for Louie.  That'd for sure tip him off to my obsession.  Apparently all the excitement went to my head because I ended up winning a trip to Mexico during the live auction while Tony was busy doing something else.  Then there was a mix up between 1,500 and 15,000 dollars.  I meant to tell him it was $1,500 but said $15,000 and I couldn't figure out why he was so upset and wanted me to sell it to the next highest bidder.  We got it sorted out but I'm not allowed to carry our bid card when we go to auctions any more.  All in all, best charity dinner EVER.

Dinner with a Champion

I loved watching Tony play soccer when we were newlyweds...including Tony's favorite soccer memory of when I, as he tells it, almost got into a fight in the stands.  And if you've ever seen me do "Ken Po" you know how that'd turn out.
Then we had kids.  Tony still played soccer and I would still attend the games, but soon realized it wasn't a fight with the other fans, but a fight to entertain my girls and keep them from running onto the field.  It became obvious that I no longer had the luxury of watching his games.
We were so excited when we first heard Real Salt Lake was coming to town and quickly bought season tickets.  We have loved following the team and players and had so much fun this last year watching them win the chamionship.  Thanks to Tony's job with Key Bank we were invited, last March, to a dinner at the stadium and got to sit with one of the players.

With Will Johnson

Faith and Mia

It's not very often Tony requests I post something...here you go Tonez:

Picture a "relaxing" Sunday morning...sure.  Sunday mornings aren't relaxing especially with 9:00 church, two girls, an 11 month old baby boy, a choir performance, and a wife that hates so much to be rushed that she often goes slower on purpose if you push.  It was that kind of day when this conversation between Tony and Faith took place.

"Dad, can I bring my DS to church?"

"No.  I want you to pay attention at church."

"Why?  I don't listen anyway."

Other recent Faithisms:

"Watch mom, I can do the Macaroni."  (then proceeds to do the Macarena)

"I'm four feet, two quarters and half a dime."


After watching our girls at their house a friend relayed to me this conversation with Mia:

"Mia, why do you keep spraying Faith with the hose?" (who was clearly NOT happy about being sprayed)

"Just for fun."  Just for fun became a family saying around their house.

I asked Mia to pack her clothes for an overnighter with her Grandma.  When I checked her bag she had packed 6 dresses, 5 skirts, 2 shorts, 6 shirts, 2 leggings and no panties.

Tony and I sleep with glasses of water beside our beds.  On April Fool's Day this year I woke up to find our glasses had been replaced with little kids plastic cups.  They thought it was hilarious.  Not bad for one of their first April Fool's day.  Don't worry, I'll get them back....maybe sew on of their pant legs so that they're sealed together at the ankle?

What Have I Done? This Is Going To Be Awesome.

It's a lazy Saturday afternoon.  I just finished reading "The Help" for my book club.  Tony left to watch the soccer game at a friends house.  Beckham is sleeping.  Faith and Mia are playing with their friends in the backyard.  It's about time for me to eat lunch and take a shower, however, I keep getting interrupted by the girls crying or complaining or asking for something.  It's then that I think, "I've had it.  Enough.  I'm done.  I need a timeout."  I walk into my bedroom close the door, turn the lock just as Mia walks into the house crying, again.  I think, please....ANYTHING to get away from this for a little while.  It's at this point I hear a text come in.  It's from Amy, the conversation is as follows:
"can you go skydiving in 30 mins? I know you want to.  You, me Tanya."
"I'll call Tony. he's not home.  how much does it cost? that's the first thing he'll want to know."
"are you serious?"
"are YOU serious?"
Steve will tend your kids for you."
"I'm calling Tony."  "what time do we leave, when will i be back and what should i wear?"
"are you in? 2pm, exercise shorts and running shoes.  Be back around 5ish."  "I'm coming over"
"almost ready."  "I'm in the garage...are you driving?"

and there you have it.  Within 30 minutes I was on my way to Skydive Utah.  I didn't have time to shower so I put on deodorant and some makeup.  I figured I was going to be sweaty nervous and if I died I wanted to have some makeup on for the YOU Tube video. 

Tanya drives, Nate is her friend from work and sits in the front seat and Amy and I are in the back.  They can't believe I would do this at the last minute.  Maybe this is just how I am because it doesn't seem that weird to me.  They ask what Tony thinks.  His only request was that I drop the kids off at his friends house where they were watching the US play Ghana.  He did send me a text later saying be safe and I love you.  Be safe?  Maybe he doesn't fully understand what I'm going to do.  I ask him if it's because he thinks I might die (jokingly...kind of).  He replies that it's the least he can say when I've decided to jump out of a plane on a whim.

I sign my life away, pay twice as much money as I thought it would cost, watch a video that claims I can't sue and then tells me to remember three things: Bellybutton, Breathe, Banana.  That's all I have to know?  Amy and Tanya make me queen of "the club".  I don't know what club it is, it's just nice to be recognized as The Queen.  It didn't occur to me that it could be a club of crazy people that go from finishing their book club book in the morning to saying yes to jumping from a plane without batting an eye in the afternoon.  Just call me Queen Crazy; I can think of several loyal subjects that will jump out of a plane in my defense.

Tony surprises us and shows up with my kids and Amy's family.  Mia hugs me, starts crying and says "don't jump out of a plane momma, you might die."  I reassure her every things going to be alright, but nobody is there to reassure me.  I'm not sure I want my kids there to watch.  What if the unthinkable happens...what if they want to jump out of a plane one day because of me?  I realize as I write this my mom will find out what I did this weekend.  Sorry mom.  What have I done?  This is going to be awesome.

Kids start complaining they're hungry.  We have 40 minutes till take off.  Tony and Steve run to get snacks for the kids. 

We get our harnesses on.  No Tony and Steve.  They get the plane ready, take some pictures.  Still no Tony and Steve.  I'm angry.  This is just like them to drop off the kids, disappear and make us late for jumping out of a plane.  I'm stalling as much as I can.  I'm even more angry, this is supposed to be MY time out.  Everyone starts to walk towards the plane.  We make the kids promise to stay put at the tables and we get in line to load up.  I spot Tony and Steve walking in.  Phew.  Now I'm not angry, just nervous.  My deodorant sucks.  What have I done?  This is going to be awesome.

Our little plane starts down the runway.  There are four of us first timers, our tandem partners, three videographers, and one frequent jumper packed in it.  The frequent jumper is sitting on the floor hanging out the open door.  He's nuts-what if he falls out of the plane?  Oh wait, we're all going to fall out of the plane.  We get a little higher and they close the sliding, plexiglass plane door.  I look out the window and the terror is sinking in.  My partner, Justin, leans forward and says "Well, we're past the point of no refund."  They're a fun group so there are constant jokes about harnesses needing duct tape to stay together, how Tanya's harness looks too big, a lot of "if the chute opens" and about how many people they've lost today alone.  I try to relax a little though you wouldn't be able to tell.  I'm stone cold quiet.  I have a forced smile stuck to my face, I mostly just nod.  Amy is chatty and twirling her hair...these must be nervous habits.  My body feels like rubber.  I attempt a joke about the plane looking like it's being held together with cargo tape, because there's cargo tape up and down the walls and around the windows.  I have crazy butterflies.  My hands are cold and clammy.  What are all the B's?  Why can't I remember that one?  Review.  Toes over, chicken wing, head back, Banana.  What kind of jackassery have I got myself into?  It's going to be awesome.  Seriously, what is that B?

Justin says it's time.  They slide up the piece of plexiglass posing as a door.  Out goes the frequent guy.  Justin says "stand up".  I try, but I'm pretty sure my legs don't work.  I'm only able to stand up because we're strapped together and he's standing.  Out goes Tanya's videographer and then Tanya's tandem.  My videographer goes.  How is everything happening so fast?  I step up to the edge and do as I'm told.  Toes over the edge of the plane? Check. Man, it's windy...and a little cloudy.  Grab onto my harness at the shoulders-make chicken wings. Check. Head back? Check.  I don't have to close my eyes but I can't focus anyway so I do.  Rock forward once, back once and GO.  I let out some holy hells and whatnot, my stomach drops and I open my eyes.  I'm disoriented.  The sky rolls back to where it's supposed to be.  We must be done flipping.  Justin taps my arms so I reluctantly (because for some reason the straps are comforting to hold onto...as if I might fall if I let go.  Odd, I know.) let go of my harness and Banana!

It turns out you can't hear a lot when you're free falling at 120 mph from 13,500 feet.  My videographer comes over holds my hand and we spin in a circle.  It's beautiful.  I can see the Great Salt Lake, the mountains, and the fields as if I were still in the plane.  Breathe! That's the B I forgot.  Breathe through your teeth (not your nose-this results in funny pictures of flared nostrils).  It's impossible to breath going so fast otherwise.  My stomach has settled.  Oddly, it only dropped once when I flipped out of the plane.  I'm comfortable enough to think about laundry and dinner when I get home.  I should have started the laundry this morning.  Wow, the earth really does look round from up here.  It feels like flying and it's not even cold.  It's just gorgeous.  I already want to go again.

It takes only about 60 seconds to hit 5,000 feet and Justin pulls the cord.  It jerks us around a bit but everything is going perfectly and the chute opens.  Justin hands me the handles and says "Do NOT let go of these."  Should I really be trusted with this?  He shows me how to do spins in the air.  It's just as fun as the free fall.  He tells me I can let go of the handles now because he's got them.  I don't like giving them up.  We talk about the landing.  Depending on the wind we'll either slide and I'll sit on top of him or we'll stand.  He decides we'll stand.  We come in kind of fast.  I lift my feet up; his feet land and I put mine down.  Rides over.  It was AWESOME.  I whoop it up and look for people to hug; happy to have made it.

Hugs all around. Justin, Tanya, Nate, Amy.  We survived.  My family is there watching.  Mia can't contain herself anymore.  She runs and jumps into my arms.  More hugs and pictures.  Who wants to go again? I wonder.

Things I've learned:
1.) It's possible my kids will be the death of me because my time outs are AWESOME.
2.) I'm a borderline adrenaline junkie.  I'm concerned I'll never top this, though.  Maybe I'll get certified.
3.) If I'm talking and laughing I'm not that scared, it's when I'm quiet and still that I'm on the verge of passing out. 
4.) Columbus was right about the earth being round.
5.) Left to themselves people will not spell my name right.
6.) Nobody looks good free falling at 120 mph with their face flapping in the wind.

I get home, start dinner and laundry and do some gardening.  All in a days work.

Sweet Progress

I feel justified and yes, a little emotional.


LDS Church shows off new 'green' meetinghouse - Salt Lake Tribune

Little Rippers

Putting on our snow clothes

Mia repeatedly banging her head on the car

Getting their gear

Needs no caption...just dang cute.

Shredding

FYI: 4 drinks, a brownie, cookie, and a bag o chips=$21.  Worth it only if it keeps Mia, and let's face it...her parents,  from banging their heads on stuff.

Good times.

More Tales from the Mountain...

You know how men like to stop and ask for directions?  Tony and I decided to try out a new run and this is where we ended up: The "My-O-My Terrain Park" a freestyle terraine park.

"...and no twisty." he tells me

Next time we'll take a map and purposely end up here.

*As an update: we did go back our next time out and purposely ended up here.  I wasn't able to man the camera and "huck meat" so we have no pics, only bruises, as proof. 

For My Posterity

Warning: this post is all about my kids.  Actually, this whole blog is for them...like a journal for when they are older, I want them to know some of the funny things they say and do that make my life sunny.

In January: As a family, we delivered some food for the Utah Food Bank for Family Home Evening one day. Our cute, animal loving, little jabber box, Mia, asked all the people we delivered to, "Do you have a cat, dog or chinchilla?"
Nobody had a chinchilla...or a cat.

Later that month I caught Faith picking her nose and told her to go get a tissue. She said, "It's okay mom, i'll just put it back in."


In February: At lunch one day, while eating her Mac, Mia held up one finger and said, "Mom, I have a hypothesis:  Jesus died so we can live."

Yesterday Faith was frustrated with me for putting together a surprise Valentine's Day dinner for Tony at her request, and for not inviting all of her neighborhood friends.  She said, "You grown ups never let us have fun.  You ruin everything."
I document this one just to have something to show her when she's an underappreciated mom, bless her.
Later she said "Did you know I have a nerd that connects my eyeball to my brain? I read about it in a book."  She's a sharp kid, which makes her misspeak even funnier.

What I Have In Common With BYU

Why do I hug trees?  I believe this earth is a gift to me from a loving Heavenly Father and I feel like I should show some gratitude for it by taking care of what He gave me. 

BYU Professor opposes HJR 012

The ONLY Thing That Makes Cold Weather Worth It...

Snow is the one thing that makes cold weather worth it. I don't care if it's 4 degrees as long as there's snow. And what makes snow worth it? Snowboarding. It had been years since my last ride thanks to my beautiful children, God bless them, but it was like riding a bike. I was back to working on turns in no time. Yep...I'm that good.

Did I mention that this was the first time riding for some of the people in our group? Well, following are some funny (to me at least) paraphrased conversations taken from our trip:

There were two kids sitting there and I went right through them without hitting them!

They usually prefer you go around them, but good work.




Do you have anything on under your snow pants? You don't have anything on under your snow pants? You don't have anything?

That's what she told me to do.

Aren't those her first pair of snow pants? Seriously, you don't have anything on?




Quit complaining it's a whole 4 degrees ABOVE zero.




Goggles are just a fashion accessory.

Because they're so fashionable?




I didn't think I was ever going to make it down...could I have the instructor meet me here?

Everything got so much easier when the instructor told me I should watch where I was going...best piece of advise all night.

You mean I could have taken off my board and walked down? Why didn't anybody tell me that!

Thanks for the memories.

Christmas Memories 09

When I found out the girl's would have a two week break from school for Christmas I realized I desperately needed a plan. I made a calendar of things we could do every day to keep us doing fun things instead of just driving one another crazy. On Christmas Eve in the morning I wrote "service". I woke up that morning to a missing Faith. Apparently she had decided to take it upon herself to do the service...having read the schedule on the calendar for the day Faith began to serve our neighbors by shoveling their sidewalks and driveways.

Here's the rest of the story...I opened the garage door to check on the girls to see Faith frantically running for help. Mia had decided to help Faith by shoveling off our neighbors trampoline and then got her foot stuck in it. Ahh my girls...their compassion, conundrums, and craziness are the spice of my life.

Later on Christmas Eve we went sledding with some family members.

After sledding we had dinner, and tried to reenact the Nativity but the donkey kept disrupting the Spirit by wrestling with Joseph. :o)

My favorite gift (besides my Sonicare!)...

As some of you may recall from my Sugarbowl post last year, I had an ugly encounter with an evil mind-reading "I don't know anybody at this table, but I'm going to sit here anyway" theif.

Here's the rest of the story...my brother-in-law, DEvon works at the U. Bless his heart for hooking me up with my own U's. Take that lady.

Christmas morning

A Peace of Toilet Paper

"It's not about win or lose Cause we all lose...

One day this all will change Treat people the same

Stop with the violence Down with the hate

One day we'll all be free And proud to be Under the same sun...

All my life I've been waiting for I've been praying for

For the people to say That we don't wanna fight no more

There'll be no more war And our children will play..."

Matisyahu "One Day" lyrics

This was my attempt to have peace this Christmas season.

When I told Tony my idea his first concern was the quality of the toilet paper. He said the last thing he wanted was for the t.p. recipients to make jokes about Utah being printed all over crappy toilet paper. Nope, he wasn't joking, so I made sure it was Charmin.

I recently realized some people don't think it's as fun as I do to make jokes about things that are taken too seriously...like the rivalry. This is for you...

For the Cougs...

Four college alumni were climbing a mountain one day: a BYU grad, a Utah grad, a Florida grad, and a Notre Dame grad. Each proclaimed to be the most loyal of all fans at their alma mater.
As they climbed higher, they argued as to which one of them was the most loyal of all. They argued all the way up the mountain, and when they reached the top, the Notre Dame grad hurled himself off the mountain, shouting "This is for the Fighting Irish!" as he fell to his doom.

Not wanting to be out done, the Florida grad threw himself off the mountain proclaiming, "This is for the Gators!"

Seeing this, the BYU grad walked over and shouted "This is for the Cougars!" and pushed the Utah fan off the side of the mountain.

For My Utes...

Provo News Report: Football practice in Provo was delayed on Monday for nearly two hours. One of the offensive players, while on his way to the locker room, happened to look down and notice a suspicious looking, unknown, white powdery substance on the practice field. The head coach, Bronco Mendenhal, immediately suspended practice while the FBI was called in to investigate. After a complete field analysis, the FBI determined that the white substance unknown to the players was the goal line. Practice was resumed when the FBI decided that the team would not be likely to encounter the substance again.

Later Christmas Day...

We went to Nana Martins, put on all of her's and Pap Pap's bathrobes and the Spiderman costume to reenact the Nativity. You heard me...bathrobes and Spiderman.

God Bless Us Everyone.

Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

Today at church Mia's teacher asked the class "What makes you happy?"

Mia jumped up and said "Diamonds!"

Just Because I Love This Pic

They make me smile

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Faith's Sixth Birthday

For Faith's 6th Birthday she wanted a "Rock Star" Party. Just to keep things easy I decided to do her party during our turn for playgroup since we'd have a bunch of kids over anyway.

Here are some of them jammin to Taylor Swift's "short skirts". We had two guitars a ukulele a keyboard and a makeshift stage on top of some built in drawers plus lots of fun.

Then because the playgroup was three weeks before her actual birthday we threw together a surprise party on her actual birthday. She's so lucky I feel guilty so easily plus she was begging me for a surprise party...funny huh. The first thing she said after we jumped out and yelled "Surprise!" was "Thank you for my party Mom" so I think two parties was justified.

Happy Halloween!

Beckham's first Halloween as a football player

It's hard to believe he's only 50th percentile for weight...Uncle Scott (Keyes) would be proud of the double chin. I wonder what he'll name it?

Faith as Wonderwoman and Mia as Thumbelina...they decided to play the drums before Trick or Treating

How hot is this?

Have you ever seen the "Porn for Women" email? The one with men doing all kinds of housework?

Yup-that's Tony vacuuming the hardwood with Beckham strapped to his chest. He also makes killer chocolate chip cookies. Sooo perfect.

Pumpkin Bum

Since Beckham was born I have been to the grocery store by myself only once. It was at this moment of weakness I happened upon a pumpkin shaped like a bum....what was I to do, but buy it? I thought it was funny by itself, however Tony saw the potential.

Here he is carving the front side of the pumpkin into a plumber holding a wrench. Comic genius.

Annual Nana Martin Fall Outing

So every year Nana Martin takes out some of her kids with grandkids for a Fall activity. This year we went to Thanksgiving Point. It was a good time with Nana-she was a good sport to stand in line for face painting and pony rides for a combined hour and a half while we did other random things.

Thanks Nana!

Beckham's Baby Blessing

Beckham was blessed on October 11th. Thanks to everyone for coming, it was a good day.

Our little man in his blessing outfit...thanks Nana!

Beckham Anthony

Beckham Anthony 7lbs 14 oz and 21 1/2 inches long

Our first family photo

Faith and Beckham

Mia and Beckham